Parish News December 2019
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- 16 - PARISH OF DEVERILLS AND HORNINGSHAM Churches SS Peter & Paul the Apostles, Longbridge Deverill PARISH NEWS St Michael the Archangel, Brixton Deverill St Mary the Virgin, Kingston Deverill St John the Baptist, Horningsham The Deverills & Crockerton Clergy Rev Pauline Reid, Rectory, 6 Homefields, Longbridge Email: [email protected] 841290 Associate Priest Rev Gay Maynard 01373 832490 Licenced Lay Ministers John Budgen 218203 Robert Shuler 844291 Church Wardens Maggi Ratcliffe (Longbridge Deverill) 840405 Richard Lucas (Brixton Deverill) 841164 Robert Shuler (Kingston Deverill) 844291 Tim Moore (Horningsham) 844336 PCC Treasurer Robert Steptoe 841396 PCC Secretary Nigel Poole 840902 Church Electoral Roll Officer Diana Abbott 840763 Parish News Editor Judy Munro 844385 Organist Mr John Budgen 218203 Caretaker - Longbridge Church Sylvia Titt 214825 Benefice Safeguarding Officer Rev Pauline Reid 841290 Benefice Administrator (Mondays am) Marion Muston 01373 839026 Email: [email protected] Contact the Editor and the Website Three Deverill churches by Dennis Smith Parish News Editor: Judy Munro 844385 Contributions for the Parish News by post to Whitepits Lodge, Kingston Deverill, Warminster, BA12 7HD or by email: [email protected] DECEMBER 2019 Please remember the deadline is 15th of the month - Thank you Look inside for local news & information Website: Benefice of Cley Hill Villages www.cleyhillchurches.org Website contents: Parish News, Church services, Parish Register, Events - 2 - - 15 - F U T U R E E V E N T S A magnificent medley of fine Bull Mill Arts Bazaar & Open Studios 30th November - 8th December See p2 arts and crafts, brimful with gorgeous hand crafted goods Christingle & Posada Service Sunday 1st December See p2 from contemporary painting and Community Coffee Morning Wednesday 4th December See p2 gilded block prints, to hand- Book & Dining Club Wednesday 4th December See p5 some hats and hand printed textiles, gorgeous scented Mere Historical Society Evening Talk Tuesday 3rd December See p7 candles and ceramic tableware. Advent Course Wednesdays 4th, 11th, 18th December see p5 Christmas shopping at its best! Maiden Bradley Hall Pub Night Saturday 7th December See p7 Cast on & Craft Group Monday 9th December See p4 SUNDAY 1st DECEMBER 10.30 AM Deverills Valley & Crockerton W I Monday 9th December See p5 CHRISTINGLE & posada SERVICE Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Monday 9th December see p5 ST PETER & ST PAUL’S CHURCH Mere Historical Society Morning Talk Tuesday 10th December See p7 LONGBRIDGE DEVERILL Maiden Bradley Hall Film Night Friday 13th December See p7 Join this traditional service to celebrate Jesus Christ the Upper Deverills Children’s Christmas Party Saturday 14th December See p4 Light of the World and bless the holy family's journey Community Coffee Morning Monday 16th December See p2 Maiden Bradley Hall Carols Monday 16th December See p7 Community Coffee Morning Maiden Bradley Hall Bingo Monday 16th December See p7 Village Carol Service Sunday 22nd December See p8/9 Everyone is welcome 10.30 - 12.00 noon The Orangery, The George Inn, Longbridge Crib Service Tuesday 24th December See p2 Maiden Bradley Hall New Year’s Eve Party Tuesday 31st December See p7 Wednesday 4th December & Monday 16th December Longbridge Parish Council meeting Monday 6th January See p10/14 Call Bridget 844884 or Judy 844385 if you require transport Mere Historical Society Morning Talk Tuesday 7th January See p7 Deverills Valley & Crockerton W I talk Monday 13th January See p5 Tuesday 24th December 4.00 pm Upper Deverills Parish Council meeting Wednesday 15th January See p10/14 Crib Service Upper Deverills Pub Night Friday 31st January See p4 ST PETER & ST PAUL’S CHURCH First Aid Course Tuesday 4th & Wednesday 5th February See p12 LONGBRIDGE DEVERILL Come and join in this special service on Christmas eve for all the family - 14 - - 3 -- 3 - Dear Friends, LOCAL COUNCILS, SOCIETIES, GROUPS etc. I am going to be really honest: I wish I didn’t have to write this Longbridge Deverill Parish Council - www.crockertonlongbridgeandhilldeverill.co.uk letter. We have a general election looming, and the country is in Caroline Sawyer 840585 (Chair) Martin McDermott 216939 chaos. Poverty levels are rising. Across the world daily, hourly, Kate Plastow 840975 (Vice Chair) Bob Pitman 212953 desperate people risk their lives in an attempt to escape brutally Richard Baxter 212918 David Searle 213767 oppressive and unjust regimes. An environmental crisis of apocalyptic Juliet Brathwaite MBE 841338 Nigel Spreadbury-Clews 216660 proportions is being played out in bush fires across the world that are out of control, Nikki Spreadbury-Clews (Clerk) 216660 or [email protected] not to mention flooding, and loss of natural habitat that has devastating Upper Deverills Parish Council - www.upperdeverills.co.uk consequences for us all. I quote: ‘Insect population decline affects ecosystems, other Bridget Beattie 844884 (Chair) Gillian Flint 844507 animal populations, and humanity. A 2019 global review warned that, if not mitigated David Croot 840944 (Vice Chair) Richard Munro 844385 by decisive action, the decline would have a catastrophic impact on the planet's Louise Stratton 844105 ecosystems.’ Jenny Bennett (Clerk) 841272 [email protected] And, it is Christmas. I feel I should come with something profound and equally feel Wiltshire Councillor Fleur de Rhé Philipe 213193 wholly unqualified to do so. All I can do is offer a few thoughts and hope that some- one somewhere finds them helpful. Member of Parliament Dr Andrew Murrison 01225 358584 Writing the above I am struck by the thought that the world has always been a Wiltshire Council 0300 456 0100 place of great beauty but also of great pain. If we think about the time in which that Sir James Thynne Almshouse Sue Jackson 840322 (Trustee) first Christmas was played out Jesus was born in a country under Roman occupation; a brutal and oppressive regime if ever there was one. Mary was an underage teenage Longbridge Deverill Parish Hall Committee mother probably booted out of her home for bringing appalling shame on her family, Anna Mead 212759 (Secretary) Sylvia Titt 214825 (Bookings) she was lucky that she was not stoned to death for her behaviour. The Holy Family Upper Deverills Village Hall were refugees: no home, no money, finding their way in the dark to that horrible, Ted Flint 844507 (Chair) John Lea 844325 (Hall bookings) dirty stable where Jesus was born. Crockerton Village Committee Marion Thomas 213739 (Chair) A few years ago I wrote an alternative version of the Christmas story in which I had Mary giving birth to Jesus on the floor of the loo in Burger King in amongst filthy Deverill & Crockerton W I Sue Bohana (215546) (Pres) Julie Wallder 213142 (Sec) bits of tissue, cigarette butts and other such inviting detritus. I remember telling the Deverills Cricket Club Ed Read 840835 (Captain) story to the year 6 class at school and their expressions of horror and disgust at such Community Police - Local Officer (Rural) a scenario. It is so much easier to water it all down isn’t it, and have Jesus born in a PCSO Debbie Robbins – [email protected] or call 101 nice cosy stable with fresh, sweet smelling hay and clean well behaved animals. But to do so is to miss the point entirely. In all the mess that is the reality of human Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator Deverills & Crockerton Dympna Dell 840514 existence what is the constant that we need to hold onto? It’s love of course. The Warminster Link Scheme 211655 Christmas story is not a sweet fairy tale to bring out once a year with the decorations, (Corsley to Boyton, Crockerton, Horningsham, Longbridge, Hill Deverill) it is a shocking, amazing, gutsy picture of love blazing forth in the darkest of places. Into the dirty, grimy, shameful reality of what it means to be human love is born. In Mere Link Scheme (Upper Deverills etc) 01747 860096 our beautiful, broken, often sad old world we are all finding our way in the dark to Post Offices: Lakeside Garden Centre, Crockerton: Mon 9.00 - 5.00, Fri 9.00 - 3.00 where love still shines, often hidden yes, but not extinguished. Maiden Bradley Hall: Tuesday 1.00 - 3.00 So, having said all that, enjoy your Christmas. Remember love is the greatest gift God gives us and we can give each other; treasure it, live it, and give thanks for it. Bath, Wilts & North Dorset Gliding Club, Kingston Deverill 844095 Happy Christmas, with love and prayers, Pauline Rev Pauline Reid Tel: 841290 / [email protected] - 4 - - 13 - Poppy Appeal Nature Notes I am really pleased to let you know Crockerton and The Deverills I have been sweeping up leaves again today. There seem to be more raised a wonderful total of £2,510.80 this year for the Poppy Appeal, of them this year! With so much rain they have become sodden and including a donation from the Upper Deverills Parish Council and the haven’t been blown away, that is my theory anyway. As well as being so collection at the Remembrance Service. Thank you so very much for all wet it has been much colder than usual for the time of year with snow in nearby your donations, they make such a difference to the work of the Royal British Legion. areas. Clive managed to cut the grass for hopefully the last time this afternoon. Very many thanks too to all of you who volunteered to help, giving your time either The autumn colours have been exceptional. The beech and birch together with collecting or helping count every single penny that went into the tins! maple have put on a great show. I go to Mere most weeks and have popped into Claire Watts Stourhead for a walk on the way home, and each time the colours have been outstanding.